A display device in which MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) shutters are used as optical modulation elements is known (hereinafter such a display device is referred to as a “MEMS shutter display device”) (see, for example, Patent Document 1 (JP-A-2013-50720)). The MEMS shutter is, for example, a shutter realized by the MEMS technique (an element (structure) that controls transmission and/or cutoff of light), as disclosed in Patent Document 1.
In such a MEMS shutter display device, unlike a liquid crystal display device, there is no need to provide color filters or polarizing plates. In the MEMS shutter display device, therefore, the rate of transmission of the light from the backlight can be increased, which allows electric power for emitting light from the backlight to be reduced significantly.